UNZA confers honorary Doctor of Law degree on Zuma

President Jacob Zuma about to lay a wreath at the Freedom statue in Lusaka

Visiting South African President Jacob Zuma has been conferred with a honorary Degree of Doctor of Law by the University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East Campus.

UNZA Chancellor Dr. Jacob Mwanza bestowed the honorary degree on President Zuma at a colourful ceremony held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre and witnessed by President Rupiah Banda, in Lusaka today.

Others who attended the ceremony include Ministers from Zambia and South Africa, Diplomats, and several Zambians and South Africans.

This was when President Zuma gave a Memorial Lecture on Oliver Reginald Tambo.

Speaking during the ceremony, Dr. Mwanza said the University of Zambia is privileged to honor President Zuma, whom he described as a Great son of Africa.

He said by honoring, now Dr. Zuma, the institution was fulfilling one of its mandates for which it was established, public service.

In accepting the honor, President Zuma said this was the first honorary degree he has received from outside South Africa and thanked the people of Zambia for the gesture.

President Zuma, in his key lecture reflecting on veteran South African freedom fighter and liberator Oliver Tambo, said the latter had distinguished himself by endeavoring to re-build what the colonial apartheid regime had destroyed many years ago.

Mr. Zuma said the late Tambo produced the Harare Declaration because his wise counsel united African National Congress (ANC) members as well as those in the neighboring countries to have vigor to fighting for a noble cause.

The late Tambo was born on October 27, 1917 at Kantolo village in the modern Eastern Cape. He died in 1993.

Mr. Tambo, a former ANC secretary general and President was a scientist, teacher, humanist and veteran leader who championed the fight against injustice on the South Africans.

Mr. Zuma further paid tribute to Zambia’s First Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda whom he said refused to be intimidated but stood bold for the freedom of neighboring countries and their freedom fighters.

At the same ocassion President Banda said he was happy that Zambia, through the University of Zambia, had decided to honor President Zuma with an honorary degree of Doctor of Law.

Mr. Banda also described the late Mr. Tambo as a gallant freedom fighter who embraced unity and orderliness not only among south Africans but Zambians as well.

He said this was meant to enhance democracy and good governance on the African continent.

Meanwhile, the two leader this afternoon proceeded to the Leopards Hill cemetery where the laid their wreaths on the graves of African National Congress freedom fighters.

President Banda and his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma laid among other grave on former ANC secretary General Johnny Mfanafuthi Makhatini who died on December 3, 1988.

Over 20 South African freedom fighters lay at the Leopards Hill cemetery in Lusaka.

Mr. Zuma, who is in the country, on a three-day state visit is accompanied by his wife Nompulelelo Nthuli, eight ministers and senior government officials.

A true son of Afrika Dr. J ZEE iz and dezervedly so that he should be honoured. A sincere and timely gesture by our Univerzity of Zambia and congratulationz Dr Zuma. How about one line from that famous song?

Please, UNZA, don’t do this! Stop dishing out doctorates to brothers who don’t deserve them. You didn’t give one to illiterate kafupi, and we applaude you for that. So, why give one to this alleged rapist who doesn’t know the difference between a hall of residence and a dormitory? C’mon!!!! Did you give one to Mandela? I don’t remember. Please!!!

HE IS LUCKY HE DIDN’T HAVE TO GO THRU THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMME WHICH MAY HAVE LASTED HIM AT LEAST 10 YEARS TO COMPLETE (THE NORMALLY THREE YEAR RESEARCHED PROGRAMME) DUE TO CLOSURES BY ANY POLITICIAN WHO GETS EXCITED.

The problem is RupiesB is too excited with presidency.All he sees is glittering gold.For now he will consider all filthy as edible but time will come when he will vomit it out.Well I am off to study for my masters than get a cheap doctrate.

imwe mwebantu ba unza this is embarassing. i better get my degree pantu if i fail we wont get along!!! giving zuma a doctrate..give it to some deserving like Mr Lemba.hes lectured since the 80’s…anso i wonder wat doctrate rb can be given..DOCTRATE IN TRAVEL AND TOURISM